Senator Chris Murphy criticized President Donald Trump on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday, saying Trump’s current actions are “much more lawless” than during his first term. Murphy’s remarks followed a question about whether Trump’s recent military strikes, allegedly ordered without congressional approval, could be grounds for impeachment.
NBC host Kristen Welker pressed Murphy on comments by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who has called the strikes impeachable. “Do you agree… the fact that President Trump acted unilaterally [is] grounds for impeachment?” she asked.
“That is a decision the House makes, not a decision the Senate makes,” Murphy responded. He emphasized that Trump’s military action was “clearly illegal” due to the lack of congressional authorization, dismissing Trump’s justification that the attacks were limited and targeted.
When Welker followed up, asking if Ocasio-Cortez’s impeachment suggestion was “on the right track,” Murphy again declined to explicitly endorse the move. However, he pointed to what he sees as a deteriorating standard in Trump’s second term.
“If you compare his conduct in this administration to the first administration, his conduct this administration is much worse, much more lawless and unconstitutional,” Murphy said.
The strikes in question have drawn bipartisan concern about executive overreach and the erosion of Congress’s war powers. Legal experts note that while presidents can respond to imminent threats, sustained or retaliatory strikes typically require congressional approval under the War Powers Resolution.
As pressure builds, Trump’s critics argue that he is increasingly bypassing traditional checks on presidential authority. Congressional Republicans have remained mostly silent on the matter, while Democrats continue to debate how aggressively to respond.
